Automatic hog and stock watering device.



G. W. FLETCHER. AUTOMATIC HOG AND STOCK WATERING DEVICE. APPLIOATIONFILED MAY 11, 1910.

1,025,461. I PatentedMay7, 1912.

awue/Mioi GEORGE WESLEY FLETCHER, OF LIMA, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC I-IOG AND STOCK WATERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1912.

Application filed May 11, 1910. Serial No. 560,620.

FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Lima, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Hog and StockWatering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in stock-watering devices,especially for hogs.

It has for its object to secure the end in view in a simple andeffective manner, and without waste of water at the drinking point,preventing thereby a hog .wallow, as would otherwise be the case.

A further object of the invention is to obviate the roiling of the waterin the fountain; and to provide for the ready cleaning and filling ofthe tank.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts of an automatic stock-wateringdevice, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts:Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away for the purpose ofexhibition of parts that would otherwise be hidden. Fig. 2 is asectional detail view of a portion of the device.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a cylindrical receptacle or tank1, preferably one that is upright, having a filling opening in its top;and when it is desired to clean or fill the tank, it is only necessaryto remove the plug or closure 2 when the water contained therein will beallowed to escape or a fresh supply be furnished. In the bottom portionof the fountain or tank 1 is a sub-chamber 3 constituting a drinkingcompartment, adapted to contain water for the animal. An opening 5 ismade laterally or in the side of the lower portion of the tank orreceptacle 1 of sufficient size for the animal to insert its head todrink from the chamber 3 without allowing it to get its feet into thechamber which would allow the wasting of water at that point upon theground and afford means for a hog wallow.

Communication is established between the tank'or receptacle 1 and thedrinking chamber 3, preferably by means of a section of pipe 4 in onewall of the latterchamber, a short distance above the bottom thereof,whereby as the animal consumes the water in the chamber 3 to a pointbelow the pipe l, the atmospheric pressure will automatically cause aflow of water through the pipe 4: and thus replenish the water supply inthe chamber 3. It will be noted that by reason of the location of thepipe 4 at a point above the bottom of the tank, any extraneoussubstances that may be introduced into the drinking chamber by theanimals will be prevented from passing into the tank 1, due to thewell-known laws ofspecific gravity. When the tank is to be supplied withwater, a plug 6 is inserted into the pipe 4 as shown in Fig. 2 thusclosing communication between the tank 1 and inner chamber 3 andpreventing waste or loss of water. As will be obvious, it will only benecessary to remove the plug or closure 2 of the opening in the top ofthe tank or receptacle 1, when it is desired to refill thestoragechamber.

As a means for preventing the animals from polluting the water in thereceptacle 3, a hood 7 is provided which may be of the same material asthe tank or otherwise, and is disposed at such angle relative to theplane of the side of the tank containing the supply opening 5 that theanimals will only be able to insert their snouts or noses in taking thewater, the lower edge of the hood being arranged about in a common planewith the corresponding edge of said opening to allow of the ready accessof the snouts or noses into said opening as the snouts or noses arepassed under said guard. The hood 7 also serves as a guard against theentrance into the water of dead leaves or other vegetable or refusematter thereby preventing the foulingor polluting of the water from thatsource and accordingly aiding in always maintaining it in a thoroughlysanitary condition.

I claim:

A stock watering device consisting of a tank having an integral bottomand a feed opening and a portion extending over said opening, a coverfor said tank having an opening, means for controlling said cover Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature open1ng, a curved port on dspfififid eceeiiin presence of two Witnesses. trically in said tank andengaging the bottom and Wall thereof and provided with an GEORGE VESLEYFLETCHER" opening above its lower edge and with a top WVitnesses:engaging the tank Wall, whereby a supple- FLOYD W. MUNROE,

mental compartment is, formed. C R E. ErLEn.

Copies of thigpatent may be obtained forfive cents eaeh, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents. a ngto 4. Q3

